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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katherine Applegate is the author of The One and Only Ivan, winner of the Newbery Medal. Her most recent novel for F&F, Crenshaw, spent over twenty weeks on the New York Times children's bestseller list, and her first middle-grade stand-alone novel, Home of the Brave (also F&F) continues to be on state reading lists, summer reading lists, and class reading lists. Katherine Applegate lives in Tiburon, California, with her family.

MORE FROM THE AUTHOR

Praise forCrenshaw

☆ “This accessible and moving novel demonstrates how the creative resilience of a
child’s mind can soften difficult situations, while exploring the intersection of imagination and truth.”
– Publishers Weekly, starred review

“This book will remind you why you fell in love with reading.” – Colby Sharp, teacher

“I laughed. I cried. I cannot wait for you to read Crenshaw.” – John Schumacher, librarian

“I just love Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate. What a special book.” – Lauren Castillo, author of the Caldecott Honor Book Nana in the City

“Katherine Applegate continues to amaze me with her ability to attack such profound issues and
deliver them in a package that is accessible by so many.” – Mary Brown, Books, Bytes & Beyond

“I immediately wanted to hand Crenshaw to my nine-year-old daughter so she,
too, could meet and befriend Jackson. Such a difficult topic dealt with in such a straightforward, believable way. It was a
pleasure to read this latest gem from Katherine Applegate.” – Karen Rosenthal, R.J. Julia Booksellers

“Friends, Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate is just wonderful — can't wait
to share with kids. Move this to the top of your to-be-read list.” – Mary Ann Scheuer, school librarian

“I just finished Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate and was not disappointed. A touching story
with beautiful characters and a sweet family.” – Kerri Poore, Politics & Prose

Fight Hunger with Crenshaw

Share photos of your school food drive online with #CrenshawFoodDrive

Check back for information and resources on how to participate in the 2017 Crenshaw Food Drive later this summer.

Schools and libraries across the country host Crenshaw Food Drives to fight childhood hunger. See a few examples of their charity in action!

Students in Vermont filled a Crenshaw silhouette with "I Donated" stickers!

Students conclude their Crenshaw Food Drive with a visit to the local food pantry to learn about how their donations will help those in need.

Students in Michigan decorated a hallway with "I Donated!" wall decals

The "I Donated!" wall decals in action!

Students in Kentucky created posters to decorate the school hallways

Students research childhood hunger and the best foods to donate to food pantries to prepare for their Crenshaw Food Drive

Did you know. . .

Nearly one in five kids in America lives in a household that struggles to put food on the table.

Three out of five K–8 public school teachers say they regularly see students come to school hungry.

Teachers of hungry kids spend, on average, about $37 of their own money each month to buy food for students.

An excerpt from Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

I went to my window and opened it. Carefully, I pulled out the screen. Our apartment was on the ground floor. A few feet below the window, a cushion of grass waited.

“Good-bye, Crenshaw,” I said.

He opened one eye a bit, like someone peeking from behind a shade. “But we were having such a lovely time.”

“Now,” I said. I put my hands on my hips to show I meant business.

“Jackson, be reasonable. I came all this way.”

“You have to go back to wherever you came from.”

Crenshaw opened his other eye. “But you need me here.”

“I don’t need you. I have enough to deal with already.”

With a great show of effort, Crenshaw sat up. He stretched, easing his back into an upside-down U. “I don’t think you understand what’s going on here, Jackson,” he said.
“Imaginary friends don’t come of their own volition. We are invited. We stay as long as we’re needed. And then, and only then, do we leave.”

“Well, I sure didn’t invite you.”

Crenshaw raised an eyebrow. He had long, whiskery brows like strings on marionette.

I took a step closer. “If you won’t go, I’ll make you go.”

I put my arms around his waist and yanked. It was like hugging a lion. That cat weighed a ton.

Crenshaw dug his claws deep into the quilt my Great-aunt Trudy made when I was a baby. I gave up and let go.

“Look,” Crenshaw said as he extracted his claws from my quilt, “I can’t go until I help you. I don’t make the rules.”

“Then who does?”

Crenshaw stared at me with eyes like green marbles. He put his two front paws on my shoulders. He smelled like soapsuds and catnip and the ocean at night.

“You do, Jackson,” he said. “You make the rules.”

Buy Crenshaw today!

Praise for Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

☆“This accessible and moving novel demonstrates how the creative resilience of a child’s mind can soften difficult situations, while exploring the intersection of imagination and truth.” – Publisher's Weekly, starred review